This study was focused on analyzing the mutual effects between a private kindergarten principal's education career path and the principal's personal, social, cultural and historical backgrounds. The purpose of this study was to investigate how the pri...
This study was focused on analyzing the mutual effects between a private kindergarten principal's education career path and the principal's personal, social, cultural and historical backgrounds. The purpose of this study was to investigate how the principal's identity was formed during her education career path. The following research problems were set to accomplish the purpose of the study.
First, how is the education career path of a private kindergarten principal from the perspective of the life-course theory?
Second, how is the identity of a private kindergarten principal formed?
For the study, Deok-Hye Lee, who has been the manager of a private kindergarten for 41 years, has been selected for an in-depth interview and data were collected from October 2013 to June 2014 for 13 times in total. The interview was based on the education career path of a private kindergarten principal from the perspective of the life-course theory. The interview also dealt with the development of identity during the life-course of the principal.
The interview journals collected are summarized as following.
First, principal Deok-Hye Lee was influenced by personal, social and historical factors until choosing teaching as her lifelong pathway. In making the decision to become an educator, Principal Lee was personally influenced by her father and the social environment during the Japanese colonial era in which female educators were recognized also played a significant role. Furthermore, normal schools being established to expand Japanese primary schools was the historical factor that contributed to Principal Lee's decision. After becoming a teacher, she supported and tried to pursue a student-centered education; however, she was confronted with difficulties in pursuing her belief due to the patriarchal society. However, she experienced pride and a sense of satisfaction as a teacher when she first carried out several demonstration classes in the Demonstration Elementary School College of Education. She then shared her education curricula to fellow teachers in Demonstration Elementary School College of Education and Sosim kindergarten. Managing the difficulties and rapidly changing environments of kindergartens, she was able to cope with problems surrounding the kindergarten and herself. To describe her education career path in one sentence, a life of a private kindergarten principal is literally a life of a private kindergarten principal. Her personal life and her life as a principal were eventually integrated. In sum, Principal Lee's personal, social and professional life have resulted to become the life of a private kindergarten principal itself.
Second, after developing her identity as a primary school teacher, a newly appointed kindergarten principal as well as a seasoned principal, she was able to firmly establish her educational philosophy as a professional kindergarten principal. The identity that she formed as a primary school teacher was to do her best and continuously study. Subsequently, as she became a principal of a kindergarten she developed her identity as someone researching education curricula via running demonstration classes. Through this process, she was able to form a routine of planning, practicing and evaluating education curricula. Finally, she learned to conduct continual studies and receive new information. During this education career path, she realized that teachers who make efforts for self-development and love their children were the most exemplary teachers. Continuing further studies and making efforts for self-development, she learned to have a receptive attitude and developed as a mature principal. Moreover, she adhered to children-centered education, pursued a proper educational environment and became a supportive principal for teachers. She did not bend her will towards children-center education, which was the first identity she developed and the last she would have as an educator. After serving a long time as a primary school teacher, she believed providing a proper educational administration is the best way to support the teachers.
As a conclusion of the identity of principal Lee, she has the belief to make continual efforts in conducting studies, pursue children-centered education, provide proper educational administrations to teachers to create an appropriate learning environment. The education career path of Principal Lee seems to be still in progress, not capable of being defined in one word nor is it stationary.